Garment of clothing

ABSTRACT

A shirt having a removably attached portion. The shirt includes a first piece of material having a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion; and a second piece of material having a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion. The first shoulder portion of the first piece of material is removably attached to the first shoulder portion of the second piece of material and the second shoulder portion of the first piece of material and the second shoulder portion of the second piece of material are removably attached.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The instant application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/619,056 filed on Apr. 2, 2012 and entitled “Garment of Clothing”, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The present disclosure is related to a garment of clothing. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to a garment having a removable portion.

BACKGROUND

When a person undergoes medical treatment, they surrender themselves fully to the doctors and nurses, as well as all of the pain and inconvenience of the treatment. This pain and inconvenience is often exacerbated when the person must undergo the treatment at a hospital, or other medical facility, for an extended period of time.

Traditional practices in hospital environments typically involve the patient undressing and wearing only a hospital gown when the patient is being examined or undergoing medical treatment. Many hospital gowns do not provide adequate coverage with respect to modesty and temperature concerns. Additionally, donning a hospital gown provides a further reminder to the person that he or she is not well, which may lead to a negative or uncooperative mood.

Patients have expressed that the ability to feel “normal” during medical treatment allows them to have high spirits and a positive attitude. While a feeling of being “normal” will differ from patient to patient, it is commonly accepted that part of a normal daily routine in a person's life is wearing traditional clothing, such as, for example, shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, and the like. A hospital gown is not typically seen as a “normal” outfit in a person's life. Accordingly, if a person is able to control at least that portion of their daily life during their hospital stay, that person may have a more positive attitude. A patient's positive attitude may help in the administration of the medical treatment and may also result in a positive experience for both the patient and the medical professional.

Wearing street clothes, such as everyday shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, etc., in a hospital during medical treatment is typically not acceptable for a variety of reason, including, but not limited to, sanitary reasons and the need to be able to quickly and easily access one or more bodily areas. Hospital gowns provide a solution, but do not allow the patient to feel “normal”. Accordingly, what is needed is a garment that allows a patient to feel “normal” while also permitting accessibility to the medical professional to conduct exams and administer medical treatment.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the disclosure is directed to a garment of clothing comprising: a first piece of material; and a second piece of material, wherein the first piece of material is removably attached to the second piece of material.

In another aspect, the disclosure is directed to a shirt having a removably attached portion, the shirt comprising: a first piece of material having a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion; and a second piece of material having a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion, wherein the first shoulder portion of the first piece of material is removably attached to the first shoulder portion of the second piece of material and the second shoulder portion of the first piece of material and the second shoulder portion of the second piece of material are removably attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a garment of clothing according to an embodiment described herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of a garment of clothing according to an embodiment described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a garment of clothing 100 wherein at least a portion of the garment is removably attached. The term “removably attached” means that at least a portion of the garment 100 can be easily removed and re-attached, if desired.

The garment of clothing 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a short sleeve T-shirt, however it is contemplated that the garment of clothing may be any garment or type of clothing, such as, for example, a long sleeve T-shirt, a collared shirt (often referred to as a “polo shirt”), a dress, a nightgown, a housecoat, a sweater, a button down shirt, or pants. The garment of clothing 100 includes a first piece of material 110 that is attached to a second piece of material 112. The first and second pieces of material 110, 112 can be any type of material utilized to make garments of clothing, including, but not limited to, cotton, silk, polyester, viscose, hemp, and combinations thereof.

In a traditional shirt, the first piece of material 110 may be attached to the second piece of material by sewing the two pieces together to form a seam 114. As shown in FIG. 1, the seam 114 is interrupted to provide for a top opening 116 (a neck opening), a bottom opening 118, and two opposing side openings, 120 a and 120 b (better seen in FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the seam 114 between a top portion 110 a of the first material 110 and a top portion 112 a of the second material 112 is undone to form a first shoulder portion 122 of the first piece of material 110 that opposes a first shoulder portion 124 of the second piece of material 112 as well as a second shoulder portion 126 of the first piece of material 110 that opposes a second shoulder portion 128 of the second piece of material 112. The shoulder portions 122-128 are located on the top portion 110 a, 112 a of the first material 110 and the second material 112 between the top opening 116 and the two side openings 120 a and 120 b.

One or more of the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126 and 128 may have a reinforcement material 130 attached thereto. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126 and 128 having a reinforcement material 130 attached thereto. The reinforcement material 130 may be any type or kind of material that provides structure or added strength to the first material 110 and the second material 112. Examples of the reinforcement material 130 include, but are not limited to, ribbon, felt, wool, thick cotton, and the like. While not shown in FIG. 2 it is contemplated that the garment 100 may be made without the reinforcement material 130 on any or all of the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126, and 128.

The reinforcement material 130 may be attached to the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126, and 128 through any means that are known or desired. For example, the reinforcement material 130 may be sewn to one or more of the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126 and 128 or the reinforcement material may be adhered to one or more of the shoulder portion with glue or another adhesive.

One or more attachment means 132 may be coupled to one or more of the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126 and 128. As shown in FIG. 2, the attachment means 132 may be coupled to the reinforcement material 130 that is positioned on the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126 and 128. While seven (7) means of attachment 130 are illustrated on shoulder portions 126 and 128 and six (6) means of attachment are illustrated on shoulder portions 122 and 124, it is contemplated that any number of means of attachments may be utilized on the garment 100.

The means of attachment 130 may be any device that allows the removability of at least a portion of the garment of clothing 100. For instance, if the garment of clothing 100 is a shirt as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the top portion 134 of the shirt can be separated, i.e., the first piece of material 110 can be removed from the second piece of material 112 at the top portion 134 of the shirt. The removability of at least a portion of the garment of clothing 100 would allow a medical professional to easily access a portion of the body, such as, for example, a shoulder, a back, a chest, or the like. For example, if a patient is undergoing chemotherapy, utilizing a port in the patient's chest, a portion of the shirt shown in FIG. 2 may be easily removed to allow a nurse quick and easy access to the port.

In one example, each means of attachment 132 is a hook and loop fastener (such as Velcro® fasteners). In another example, each means of attachment is a snap, a clasp, a button, or a hook and eye fastener. It is contemplated that more than one type of means of attachment 132 can be utilized on the garment 100. When the means of attachment 132 is a hook and loop fastener, it is contemplated that each fastener utilized on the garment of clothing 100 is approximately 1.75 inches long and that the space between each fastener is approximately 3 inches. It is contemplated that different lengths and the spacing between the fasteners may be altered to suit the needs of the user.

While FIG. 2 illustrates the reinforcement material 130 and the means for attachment 132 are only positioned on the shoulder portions 122, 124, 126 and 128, it is contemplated that either or both the reinforcement material and the means for attachment can be positioned at other locations of the garment of clothing 100. For example, either or both the reinforcement material 130 and the means for attachment 132 could be positioned along one or both of seams 136 and 138. Positioning at least the means for attachment 132 in this manner would allow all or a portion of the first piece of material 110 and the second piece of material 112 to be separated from one another.

While the invention has been described with reference to various exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or matter to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment of clothing comprising: a first piece of material; and a second piece of material; wherein the first piece of material is removably attached to the second piece of material.
 2. A garment of clothing according to claim 1, wherein the garment is a shirt.
 3. A garment of clothing according to claim 2, wherein the first piece of material has a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion.
 4. A garment of clothing according to claim 3, wherein the second piece of material has a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion.
 5. A garment of clothing according to claim 4, wherein the first shoulder portion of the first piece of material is attached to the first shoulder portion of the second piece of material.
 6. A garment of clothing according to claim 5, wherein the first shoulder portion of the first piece of material and the first shoulder portion of the second piece of material are attached with at least one means of attachment selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fasteners, a clasp, a button, a snap, and a combination thereof.
 7. A garment of clothing according to claim 4, wherein the second shoulder portion of the first piece of material is attached to the second shoulder portion of the second piece of material.
 8. A garment of clothing according to claim 7, wherein the second shoulder portion of the first piece of material and the second shoulder portion of the second piece of material are attached with at least one means of attachment selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fasteners, a clasp, a button, a snap and a combination thereof.
 9. A garment of clothing according to claim 4, further comprising a reinforcement material coupled to at least one of the first shoulder portion of the first piece of material, the second shoulder portion of the first piece of material, the first shoulder portion of the second piece of material and the second should portion of the second piece of material.
 10. A shirt having a removably attached portion, the shirt comprising: a first piece of material having a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion; and a second piece of material having a first shoulder portion and a second shoulder portion; wherein the first shoulder portion of the first piece of material is removably attached to the first shoulder portion of the second piece of material and the second shoulder portion of the first piece of material and the second shoulder portion of the second piece of material are removably attached.
 11. A shirt according to claim 10, wherein the first shoulder portion of the first piece of material is removably attached to the first shoulder portion of the second piece of material with at least one means of attachment selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fasteners, a clasp, a button, a snap, and a combination thereof.
 12. A shirt according to claim 10, wherein the second shoulder portion of the first piece of material is removably attached to the second shoulder portion of the second piece of material with at least one means of attachment selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fasteners, a clasp, a button, a snap, and a combination thereof. 